Lebron says he is "number one leader" of Team USA

[Good Old Willy]

What? No. So your telling me Mike Woodson is the "leader" of the Hawks? Wrong, it's Joe. Or that Eddie Jordan is the "leader" of the Wizards? No, sorry, that's Antwan. You could be telling me that Dwyane Casey is the leader of the Timberwolves. No, it's KG.

Think before you make absurd statements.

Ah yes!

Now we come to the heart of the matter.

The belief among young atheletes (and young fans!) that leadership is derived from on court performance. The leader of a team is not the star athlete. The leader of a military unit is not the guy carrying the biggest gun. The manager of a team in business is not the best programmer or best skill guy, it is the person with skills such as communication, consensus building, initiative and order maintenance.

On further thought, and perhaps once you consider some of the leadership figures in your life, you will hopeful understand the parameters what we are getting at here. And what the key problem of many professional athletes is today.

Now before I get to preachey on you (!) let me take a light step back. The Lebrons, Melos, Kobes, are expected to play roles (that from the bottom looking up) demand leadership qualities. And they admirably invited demonstrate the team's on court will.

"Absurd"? Young petulant athletes expected to be leaders!

[Agent_Zero]

Ah yes!

Now we come to the heart of the matter.

The belief among young atheletes (and young fans!) that leadership is derived from on court performance. The leader of a team is not the star athlete. The leader of a military unit is not the guy carrying the biggest gun. The manager of a team in business is not the best programmer or best skill guy, it is the person with skills such as communication, consensus building, initiative and order maintenance.

On further thought, and perhaps once you consider some of the leadership figures in your life, you will hopeful understand the parameters what we are getting at here. And what the key problem of many professional athletes is today.

Now before I get to preachey on you (!) let me take a light step back. The Lebrons, Melos, Kobes, are expected to play roles (that from the bottom looking up) demand leadership qualities. And they admirably invited demonstrate the team's on court will.

"Absurd"? Young petulant athletes expected to be leaders!

I wasn't calling naming the players you mentioned absurd, i was talking about when you said that the coach is the true leader of the team. sure, the leader may not always be the star player, but mostly they have to be. Is this what your saying? In that case, I agree. But do you think Lebron can lead this team?

[Good Old Willy]

I wasn't calling naming the players you mentioned absurd, i was talking about when you said that the coach is the true leader of the team. sure, the leader may not always be the star player, but mostly they have to be. Is this what your saying? In that case, I agree. But do you think Lebron can lead this team?

Oh yes, I agree "the leader may not always be the star player, but mostly they have to be". But this leadership stuff should be put in context. Athletes may be the oncourt / on field leaders but certainly not "of the team". I don't have much of an opinion on Lebron in this context except to not expect the improbable.

Every time I hear a baller say "This is my team" or "I'm the leader" I just want to... You just know that that team is going nowhere now, becasue the guys just don't get the team part of the game. Just like Team USA of the past few years. Sadly.

[Agent_Zero]

Oh yes, I agree "the leader may not always be the star player, but mostly they have to be". But this leadership stuff should be put in context. Athletes may be the oncourt / on field leaders but certainly not "of the team". I don't have much of an opinion on Lebron in this context except to not expect the improbable.

Every time I hear a baller say "This is my team" or "I'm the leader" I just want to... You just know that that team is going nowhere now, becasue the guys just don't get the team part of the game. Just like Team USA of the past few years. Sadly.

I disagree though. I think this squad right now could go a long way. Congrats on 100 posts by the way.

[Poseidon]

no matter what happens from now on it will be blamed on Kobe if they lose...believe that..

That's why losers like LeBron need to GTFO Kobe's way and watch the GOLD be brought back home.

[allball]

imagine if a 22 yr old kobe was on dreamteam1 with jordan, bird, magic, etc and said "im the number one leader of Team USA"

You're talking about a team of all bonafide guaranteed HOFers at that time. who on this team is guaranteed a spot in the Hall? Jason Kidd is not Magic. And Kobe is not Bird or Jordan in terms of overall respect.

Anyway I applaud Lebron for wanting to be a leader as I did for being an 18 year old who took on the weight of a franchise and handled it like a man.

[VCDrivesAPorscheToWork]

You're talking about a team of all bonafide guaranteed HOFers at that time. who on this team is guaranteed a spot in the Hall? Jason Kidd is not Magic. And Kobe is not Bird or Jordan in terms of overall respect.

Anyway I applaud Lebron for wanting to be a leader as I did for being an 18 year old who took on the weight of a franchise and handled it like a man.

ignorant statement. Kidd and Kobe are locks for the HoF. you need to recheck your logic if you think otherwise.


and it's not so much a matter of whose team it is, it's a matter of will Lebron fu ck things up by demanding the last shot because he's an immature person and then ruining the US's chance at the Gold.

[Good Old Willy]

(thanks agent zero)

Sometimes, (on nostalgic melancholic days) I think that what we need is a return of those old Soviet style no-nonsense teams like at the Olympics.

No interviews. No self promotion. No hype. Just methodical machines that DOMINATED!

Of course they had no freedom, no color TV's and lived in concrere slabs... but they won. Isn't that what Team USA wants?

[MaxFly]

Who is part of the afternoon ISH crew?

Generally the guys in the East and Central time zones of the US.

[trig]

I think its better to pair Lebron w/ billups and deron. Guards that can shoot from the outside. So if ever kidd becomes the starting pg, as talented as lebron is, lebron has to come off the bench imo its just difficult to have both pg and sf that cant shoot w/ consistency

lebron does have leadership qualities but it would have been better if Lebron just gave way and just said he sees kidd as the leader of this years Team USA

[IGOTGAME]

Yeah thats why Kidd Kobe Lebron Bosh Howard works best.

I only said melo at PF if he they had trouble keeping up with the fiba big men shooters or something.

please tell me what is gonna happen when they go into a tight zone and dont even rotate over to Kidd or Lebron and just dare them to shoot...That we played in the scrimmage is nothing like international team zones...

We have to have 2 guys that can hit a shot in the starting lineup

[CAYO]

Lebron James Is Not The Leader

[Optimus Prime]

I used to be a huge LeBron fan (his jersey is the only one I own), but he has become increasingly arrogant. Especially this year. Yeah, he led a pretty mediocre team in a weak conference to the Finals. What did he do against the top talent like the Spurs? Nothing.

LeBron James is not the leader of Team USA. Kidd and Kobe are, and I would even say D-Wade is over LeBron (but Wade's out right?). They have accomplished much more in the game of basketball than LeBron. LeBron has quite a bit to prove...

I hope next year, the Cavs are under .500 and don't make the playoffs. Give "King James" a big helping of humble pie, so maybe he stops doing Hammer dances and works on what he's getting paid gazillions of dollars to do: play basketball.

[IGOTGAME]

Cory Matthews, Philadelphia: Is it safe to say this is Kobe's team and everyone else knows it?

SportsNation Chris Sheridan: (12:16 PM ET ) LeBron would beg to differ with you on that. In fact, I could see there's an interesting multi-generational dynamic going on with those guys, with Kidd representing an earlier generation, Kobe in the middle and LBJ/'Melo/Wade/Bosh et al on the young end. I think when it's all said and done, Kidd will be this team's leader.

Before the world championships in Japan last summer, the Team USA coaching staff was disappointed in James's effort and his inability to function offensively unless he had the ball. The coaches would have made LeBron the first cut after his lackadaisical initial week of practice were it not for the massive public relations fallout that would have resulted from the axing of the league's most globally marketed player

Doug (Provo, UT): LeBron and Kidd looked like a solid duo out there in Vegas... What are the chances that they will play together on the same NBA team? Or how long til the Cavs pick up a solid PG that will compliment LeBron like Kidd does?

SportsNation Chris Sheridan: (12:31 PM ET ) LeBron had Coach K shaking his head in bewilderwent over LBJ's lack of diplomacy when Bron went to the post-game interview podium and said playing with Kidd made him think about how difficult it was going to be to go back to Cleveland in the fall to play with the Cavs' point guards. Not supposed to be that blunt.

I dont think the coaching staff really likes Lebron that much for team USA...And I see major team chemistry issue, like trying to one up teammates in order for the media to see him as #1 leader...For example Kobe hits two long 3's then next time I wouldnt be surprised if he would take a long three to do it too or wouldnt pass it Kobe the next time down... And thats is just an example, there were also insiders that felt that Bron was padding stats at the end of certain games in order to get the best numbers(ill try to find the quotes)

[AppleNader]

Thank you. As usual, Lebron nut huggers can't deal with facts, nor can they put together any semblence of a logical argument.